Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is regrettable that this issue is raised month after month. It reflects the extent to which the unilateral decision by the Minister in announcing the disestablishment of the 3rd Western Brigade came as a shock to members of the Defence Forces who are looking to the Green Paper initiative to form the basis for the reforms. I am a little disappointed that the notes supplied to the Minister of State do not give an indication of the savings made as a result of the initiative. PDFORRA has argued strongly that a strength of 9,500 personnel could have continued to be maintained effectively within a three brigade arrangement.

Will the Minister of State put it to the Minister for Defence that when the Green Paper process is under way, a return to a three brigade arrangement might be considered?

I must also put on record the concerns expressed to me by serving members of the Defence Forces who are being forcibly relocated from one part of the country to another. If the anecdotal information relayed to me is correct, then it appears that personnel are crisscrossing the country. This must give rise to increased costs and make the operational aspects of the work much more difficult. Is the Minister of State in a position to indicate whether costs have arisen in the context of allowances paid for relocation? Will he also indicate whether transport and travel costs have increased to a significant degree?

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